Check beach conditions before your stay
Review Submitted: July 28, 2009
Date of Stay: July 2009
Upon arriving the first thing my kids wanted to do was to head to the water and check out the beach. When we all made it down to the water we found that the pictures posted on the property listing did not accurately reflect the conditions we found during our stay. After our 30-day window to cancel with full refund past the property manager informed us that the lake level was higher this year, resulting in a rocky beach front, and recommended bringing some type of water shoe to used to protect our feet. What we found was an approximately 8-10 foot wide area of rock covered beach above the water line with rocks extending out into the water on the lake bottom. Needless to say everyone in our party was diapppointed with what we encountered. Inside the cottage we found that the previous renter must have left the doors/windows open and found hundreds of nats or mayflies inside the cottage which congregated on the cathedral ceiling and in other areas throughout the cottage. Some of them had been killed and left smashed against the walls, others we tried vacuuming up or died within an few days and accumulated in various places thourghout the cottage. With about two days left in our stay ants began to enter the lower level through the basement bedroom door. Some areas/features of the cottage were dated and worn, light bulbs were missing from fixtures, and the carperting in the lower lever was stained/worn and in need of replacement.
Overall the floor plan of the cottage worked well and exterior of the property was well kept. Very nice lake views from the main living/dinning area and upper deck. The large sand dune across the street was fun to climb and provided a panoramic view of the surrounding area. However, the condition of the interior of the cottage during our stay, in addition to the misleading photos of the beach front at lake level in the property listing, was not what we expected for the price.
Owner's Response: Yes, indeed the beach shoreline does change from season to season and from month to month, as we are there in the late spring and are always surprised to see how it has changed when we arrive late summer. Most of the years, there has been an adequate-sized beach.
As for the nats and flies, those too depend on the weather and they can get through even the smallest of screens. We have them in our house in Petoskey, too. It has been an unusual summer with lots of rain and varying temperatures!
As for the interior, the owners will be there the month of August and I imagine they will assess how the wear and tear of the home has been. It is a popular home and rented by multi-generational families for vacations with lots of positive reviews and memories I am sure.
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